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Consumer perceptions of free-range laying hen welfare
Abstract
Purpose
– The purpose of this paper is to understand which factors and resources free-range egg consumers believe are important for hen welfare.
Design/methodology/approach
– An online survey was distributed via the mailing list of a UK free-range egg brand receiving 6,378 responses. The survey was mostly five-point Likert-scale based. The same survey was also distributed to a group of animal welfare specialists receiving 34 responses.
Findings
– Respondents bought free-range eggs because hens are “happier” (74.2 per cent) and “healthier” (69.0 per cent) and because they believed such eggs to taste better (57.9 per cent). They rated all the suggested factors that might contribute to hen welfare as “important” or “very important” (on average) but believed outside access and fresh air to be most important. Respondents rated the suitability of resources relating to behavioural needs high (“suitable” or “very suitable”) indoors and shelter as the most suitable outdoors. Consumers differed from welfare specialists in their views on factors contributing to hen welfare, but their views on resource suitability were similar.
Research limitations/implications
– The sample was biased towards free-range egg consumers who had expressed an interest in a brand marketed as high welfare.
Originality/value
– This is the first study to ask consumers what they consider to be important for hen welfare and how they think hen welfare can be improved. Because consumers can affect on-farm welfare through their purchasing habits assessing the degree of agreement between consumers and animal welfare specialists is important.
... The recent studies on egg products have focussed on sustainability issues, such as animal welfare and production methods (e.g. Doyon et al., 2016;Parrott et al., 2016;Pettersson et al., 2016;H€ orisch, 2018;Ochs et al., 2018;Busse et al., 2019;Mitrovic et al., 2022;Rondoni et al., 2020;Gautron et al., 2022). These issues are interlinked, as the central part of animal welfare in poultry production is the system used to produce meat end eggs (Parrott et al., 2016). ...
... In addition, Gautron et al. (2022) found the housing system to be importantly affecting the use-value and image properties of egg products. Animal welfare and production methods also connect with egg product safety (Ochs et al., 2018;Rondoni et al., 2020) and taste (Pettersson et al., 2016). According to Ochs et al. (2018), consumers considered eggs produced with higher animal welfare standards as safer to eat. ...
... According to Ochs et al. (2018), consumers considered eggs produced with higher animal welfare standards as safer to eat. Also, in a study by Pettersson et al. (2016), consumers considered free-range eggs to taste better. ...
Purpose
The purpose of this study is to provide information on how citizens in nine countries across Europe perceive egg product quality and the importance of a product's sustainability attributes (animal welfare, country of origin and production method) in egg purchases.
Design/methodology/approach
The data were gathered in 2021 via an online survey in nine European countries (Finland, the United Kingdom, France, Italy, Belgium, Germany, the Netherlands, Romania and Denmark). A total of 3,601 responses were collected. As methods of analysis, exploratory factor analysis (EFA), independent samples t -test, paired samples t -test and one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) were conducted when investigating the quality dimensions of egg products and the differences amongst the sociodemographic groups.
Findings
Citizens in European countries considered animal welfare aspects, production method and country of origin important when purchasing egg products. Citizens' perceived quality of egg products was related to two dimensions (i.e. product properties and responsible production), and there were differences in perceptions by sociodemographic groups (i.e. age, gender, education and country of residence). Responsible production was most valued by younger women with higher education. Also in the Netherlands and Romania, citizens had stronger preferences for product properties compared to responsible production, whilst in Germany, responsible production was appreciated more than product properties.
Originality/value
The study provides new information on citizens' perceived egg product quality and the role of a product's sustainability attributes in egg purchases. Furthermore, the results bring novel insights on the differences in perceptions amongst citizens living in nine European countries.
... Recent research in animal welfare has focused on products associated with animal welfare [7][8][9]. Studies have shown a clear preference among consumers for products labeled as animal-friendly [10][11][12]. In the context of dairy, decisions often hinge on the perceived integrity of the product, with animal welfare being a significant consideration [3]. ...
... These choices allow researchers to ascertain the relative importance of specific attributes and levels. The introduction of a monetary attribute facilitates quantification of the willingness to pay for different options [10]. For this investigation, the DCE approach is utilized to explore Chinese university students' preferences for milk products with an emphasis on animal welfare. ...
The consumption patterns of university students hold the power to significantly influence market trends. This study illuminates the escalating emphasis on animal welfare in these students’ purchasing choices, specifically concerning milk products. Utilizing a discrete choice experiment, we identified a pronounced preference among students for milk products with animal welfare certifications. Students were segmented into three categories based on their motivations: “Quality–Oriented” (20.55%), “Emotionally Intuitive” (30.67%), and “Quality–Emotion Balanced” (48.77%). The “Emotionally Intuitive” group manifested the most robust inclination toward such certifications. Based on these findings, we recommend tailored market strategies targeting these distinct segments. Moreover, our findings emphasize the importance of intensifying animal welfare education, shaping a market aligned with animal welfare principles, and fostering a broader societal environment attuned to animal welfare.
... Researchers have found that animal welfare is an important extrinsic factor that affects consumers' hedonic and emotional responses towards purchasing products of animal origin (Bennett et al., 2016;Jiang et al., 2021;Rolfe, 1999;Situmorang et al., 2022) and that consumers rate animal welfare as the second highest priority in determining their food purchase decision (behind food safety) (Jiang et al., 2021). More specifically, research has established that consumers hold a genuine concern for hen welfare (Moffat et al., 2019;Rolfe, 1999;Situmorang et al., 2022), an active interest in the systems and conditions under which hens are grown and eggs produced (Campbell et al., 2017), "rated the welfare of free range hens high" (Pettersson et al., 2016(Pettersson et al., , p. 2009) and valued animal welfare extremely highly (Bennett et al., 2016), when considering a purchasing choice of eggs (Pettersson et al., 2016(Pettersson et al., , p. 2009). Thus, it is proposed that H5. ...
... Researchers have found that animal welfare is an important extrinsic factor that affects consumers' hedonic and emotional responses towards purchasing products of animal origin (Bennett et al., 2016;Jiang et al., 2021;Rolfe, 1999;Situmorang et al., 2022) and that consumers rate animal welfare as the second highest priority in determining their food purchase decision (behind food safety) (Jiang et al., 2021). More specifically, research has established that consumers hold a genuine concern for hen welfare (Moffat et al., 2019;Rolfe, 1999;Situmorang et al., 2022), an active interest in the systems and conditions under which hens are grown and eggs produced (Campbell et al., 2017), "rated the welfare of free range hens high" (Pettersson et al., 2016(Pettersson et al., , p. 2009) and valued animal welfare extremely highly (Bennett et al., 2016), when considering a purchasing choice of eggs (Pettersson et al., 2016(Pettersson et al., , p. 2009). Thus, it is proposed that H5. ...
Little is known about the external stimuli, which trigger a change in a consumer's cognitive and affective state and lead to a consumer's willingness to pay a premium price (WTPPP) behavioural response. This study aims to close this knowledge gap by providing insight into how a unique combination of antecedents affects consumer attitude toward purchasing free-range eggs and leads to a behavioural response, which is measured by consumer WTPPP for free-range eggs.
https://doi.org/10.1108/BFJ-07-2022-0663
... Thus, providing farm animal welfare information can stimulate appreciation and demand for related products [51]. For example, consumers may prefer to buy free-range eggs, as the hens are supposedly 'happier' and 'healthier', and they believe that such eggs taste better [52]. ...
... Compared with farmers, consumers and retailers have a more active role in promoting free-range systems and improving the welfare of laying hens [38,59]. Especially for consumers, understory raising projects meet their requirements, in terms of both animal welfare and food quality [52,150]. Meanwhile, more and more Chinese consumers are willing to pay for animal welfare-promoting products [151]. ...
The welfare of laying hens in cage systems is of increasing concern. Represented by the European Union’s ‘End the Cage Age’ initiative, more and more countries have advocated cage-free farming. China, an important country for poultry farming and consumption in the world, is highly dependent on cage systems and lacks confidence in alternative (e.g., free-range) systems. In this context, using China’s abundant woodland resources (including natural forests, plantations, and commercial forests) to facilitate the management of laying hens in a free-range environment may provide highly promising welfare improvement programs. On the basis of the Five Freedoms, we assess the welfare status of understory laying hen management systems with reference to the behavioural needs and preferences of laying hens and the EU standards for free-range and organic production (highest animal welfare standards in the world). The results show that the considered systems meet or even exceed these standards, in terms of key indicators such as outdoor and indoor stocking density, outdoor activity time, and food and drug use. Specifically, the systems provide sufficient organic food for laying hens without using antibiotics. They allow laying hens to avoid beak trimming, as well as to express nesting, foraging, perching, reproductive, dustbathing and other priority behaviours. The presence of roosters and higher use of woodland space allow the laying hens to achieve better feather and bone conditions, thus reducing stress and fear damage. Notably, the predation problem is not yet considered significant. Second, there is evidence that understory laying hen systems are profitable and have been welcomed and supported by farmers and governments in the southwest, south, and north of China. However, whether it can be scaled up is uncertain, and further research is needed. In addition, laying hens in this management system face various risks, such as foot injury, parasitism, and high dependence on consumer markets, which must be considered. Overall, agro-forestry, or accurately, understory poultry raising, provides opportunities and possibilities for free-range laying hens and welfare improvement in China and other countries.
... Such practices will only be sustained through preferences of egg-purchasers; when consumers exhibit a lower preference for eggs from novel housing systems, industry stakeholders are disincentivized from making changes and the status quo is maintained. Currently, consumers generally have negative perceptions of caged housing systems and more positive perceptions of free-range systems (11)(12)(13). This is reflected in the increase in sales of eggs from free-range housing (14). ...
... Conventional cage systems are in global decline; many countries are either phasing them out or have banned them altogether (25), replacing them with free-range and other cagefree systems. The changes are often being made in the belief that they will improve layer hen welfare (11,12,16) even though research has consistently illuminated negative welfare consequences of cage-free housing alternatives [see for instance (26)(27)(28)]. By way of a compromise, furnished cages were developed to minimize the negative welfare impacts of both cage and cage-free systems. ...
It has been proposed that terminology on commercially available eggs can impact the manner in which the eggs are discussed and ultimately consumer support. In this paper we tested if the label of ‘furnished cage’ eggs is a barrier for its support in Australia. Furthermore, we examined if educational interventions could change support and the way furnished cages were discussed. Survey participants (n = 1,157) were recruited by a stratified random sample of Australian adults. The participants were surveyed on their demographics, attitudes toward the poultry industry and animal welfare, and their egg buying behavior. Participants were randomly assigned to one of four treatment groups; two control groups and two educational groups. Participants were shown one of three videos, the control groups were shown a video with general information about chickens, the educated groups were shown one of two almost identical videos that educated them on aspects of the egg-laying industry in Australia, and the welfare implications of different housing systems including furnished systems. The only difference between the two educational videos was the name given to the furnished housing system; one group was introduced to furnished cages, the other was introduced to furnished coops. Educated participants were more likely to support furnished eggs and discuss them more positively than the control groups. When asked to discuss their support for furnished systems, control group participants exposed to the term cage were more likely to discuss the impacts of caged environments than the other treatment groups. The study suggests any negative impacts of housing system terminology can be mitigated through educational interventions.
... The social license to produce animal products increasingly demands high animal welfare standards and this drives global trends in food production (Clark, Stewart, Panzone, Kyriazakis, & Frewer, 2017;Pettersson, Weeks, Wilson, & Nicol, 2016). In fact, there is an increasing number of consumers that recognize the importance of animal welfare and are willing to change eating habits, considering paying extra money for products from welfare-friendly systems (Bennett, 1996;European Union Special Eurobarometer 442, 2015;Pettersson et al., 2016), such as those allowing birds access to an outdoor area, which in turn is considered a system beneficial for chicken welfare (Haslam, 2011;Vanhonacker, Tuyttens, & Verbeke, 2016;Wang, Shi, Dou, & Sun, 2009). ...
... The social license to produce animal products increasingly demands high animal welfare standards and this drives global trends in food production (Clark, Stewart, Panzone, Kyriazakis, & Frewer, 2017;Pettersson, Weeks, Wilson, & Nicol, 2016). In fact, there is an increasing number of consumers that recognize the importance of animal welfare and are willing to change eating habits, considering paying extra money for products from welfare-friendly systems (Bennett, 1996;European Union Special Eurobarometer 442, 2015;Pettersson et al., 2016), such as those allowing birds access to an outdoor area, which in turn is considered a system beneficial for chicken welfare (Haslam, 2011;Vanhonacker, Tuyttens, & Verbeke, 2016;Wang, Shi, Dou, & Sun, 2009). However, producers generally resist providing outdoor access to their birds because of perceived higher production costs or risks regarding product safety (Tuyttens, Vanhonacker, & Verbeke, 2014). ...
We compared broiler chicken welfare in free-range (FR) and intensive indoor (IN) systems using the Welfare Quality® Protocol. Ten FR and 11 IN farms in Brazil were assessed. Results are shown as either scores ranging from 0 to 100, where higher scores indicate better welfare, or prevalence, where lower prevalence indicates better welfare. In FR, the median prevalence was lower than in IN for mortality (2.0% vs. 4.7%, p = 0.0262), culling (0.0% vs. 0.6%, p = 0.0168), ascites (0.0% vs. 0.17%, p = 0.0431). Median welfare scores on FR farms were better for plumage cleanliness (100 vs. 59, p = 0.0001), panting or huddling (100 vs. 29, p = 0.0001), lameness (81 vs. 19, p = 0.0001), hock burn (93 vs. 37, p = 0.0001), footpad dermatitis (35 vs. 26, p = 0.0018). However, FR scores were worse for litter quality (34 vs. 100, p = 0.0003), dust (53 vs. 78, p = 0.0002), breast blisters (90 vs. 100, p = 0.0077), touch test (70 vs. 99, p = 0.0082). Better emotional states were observed in FR (p < 0.001). Even though there is room for welfare improvement in both systems, the number of welfare indicators with better results was superior in FR than in IN farms.
... When referring to egg preferences, the British population prefers free-range eggs and perceives them to have better organoleptic properties compared with eggs that are not free-range, resulting in British consumers being more willing to pay for this type of egg (Pettersson et al. 2016). Castillo et al. (2024) reported a rapid, worldwide shift in preference towards organic eggs, despite their higher price. ...
... February 2025 | Volume 13 | Issue 2 | Page 241 ter-tasting eggs (Pettersson et al., 2016). In Kenya, research has focused on consumer willingness to pay for improved chicken welfare (Otieno and Ogutu, 2020). ...
... PD1: The use of green products or services is one of the solutions to environmental problems PD2: I will try to use products that do not harm the environment PD3: I think green products or services are good for health PD4: I think the quality of green products or services is better [75,76,[82][83][84][85][86][87][88] PR1: I think the quality of green products or services is better PR2: A green product or service needs to be reasonably priced so that consumers are willing to buy it PR3: The price and quality of a green product or service are matched PR4: The improvement of green product or service performance shows that their price is reasonable PL1: I live in the area that will regularly provide green products or services PL2: Green products or services are readily available near where I live PL3: Green products or services are ubiquitous everywhere PM1: I tend to focus on advertising messages related to protecting the environment PM2: Green advertising can help consumers make smarter buying choices PM3: Green advertising can help consumers better understand the benefits of green products or services EK 1: I will first understand the product and packaging is environmentally safe, and then buy products 2: I would like to know more about recycling 3: I know how to choose products and packaging that reduce the amount of trash that goes to the landfill 4: I understand the environmental terms and symbols on product packaging 5: I have some knowledge of environmental problems [77,78] EA 1: I would pay more attention to products with low contaminant content 2: If I knew that some products could be potentially harmful to the environment, then I would not continue to pay attention to these products 3: I try to keep my family or friends away from products that are harmful to the environment 4: I am concerned about the current environmental situation in the world 5: If a company that sells a product is engaging in environmentally irresponsible behavior, I will not be looking at that company 6: I try to minimize the use of plastic bags [79] GPI 1: Considering the future of environmental pollution, I will try to choose to buy green products 2: I would consider switching to a green brand on ecological issues 3: I prefer to buy green goods, even if the price is slightly higher than other goods 4: I prefer to buy green products 5: I prefer to switch from buying non-green products to buying green products [80,81,[89][90][91] Notes: GM 4P= Green Marketing 4P, EK = environmental knowledge, EA = environmental attitude, GPI = green purchase intention. ...
This study examines how the green marketing mix—comprising green product, price, place, and promotion—affects consumers’ environmental attitudes and green purchase intentions, incorporating environmental knowledge as a moderating factor, focusing on a sample of 334 environmentally conscious consumers from second- and third-tier cities in China. Structural equation modeling (SEM) was used to analyze the data collected through SPSS 24 and AMOS 26. The results indicate that green promotion, price, and place significantly influenced environmental attitude, while green products did not show a significant effect. Both green products and promotions positively affected green purchase intention, whereas price and place had no notable impact. Environmental attitude strongly influenced green purchase intention, emphasizing its critical role in shaping consumer behavior. Interestingly, higher levels of environmental knowledge weakened the link between environmental attitude and green purchase intention, potentially due to increased skepticism toward environmental claims and the onset of “green fatigue”. By analyzing data from consumers in China’s second- and third-tier cities, this study provides valuable insights into the unique dynamics of green consumer behavior in emerging markets, offering strategic guidance for companies to develop more effective and environmentally responsible marketing approaches. It offers insights for policymakers to promote a sustainable, eco-conscious society.
... In our study, the increased willingness to pay a premium for products like animal welfare labeled milk highlights the role of pet ownership in enhancing consumer behavior. This aligns with Pettersson et al. [47], who demonstrated that animal welfare labels can significantly influence consumer decisions. Our findings extend this by showing that pet ownership amplifies the effect, suggesting that it motivates consumers to support animal welfare certified products. ...
As global awareness of animal welfare continues to rise, it has become essential to understand the factors that shape individual attitudes and consumption behaviors related to animal welfare. This study empirically investigates how pet ownership influences attitudes towards animal welfare and related consumption intentions among Chinese university students. Findings demonstrate that students from pet-owning households exhibit significantly more favorable attitudes and behaviors concerning animal empathy, awareness of animal welfare, willingness to purchase animal welfare certified products, and the willingness to pay a premium for animal welfare labels. Pet ownership fosters emotional resonance, enhancing empathy and perceptions regarding animal welfare, and influences preferences for animal welfare certified products through simulated consumer choices. By applying propensity score matching (PSM) to mitigate endogeneity concerns, this research advances theoretical discussions surrounding animal welfare attitudes and consumption behaviors. Looking ahead, the promotion of animal welfare should involve coordinated efforts across educational institutions, policy frameworks, and market mechanisms to cultivate a broader understanding and adoption of animal welfare principles.
... The belief that eggs produced in free-range and organic systems are more natural, safe, healthy, nutritious, high quality, tasty, nature and animalfriendly are the factors affecting consumer preference (Young et al., 2005;Pellegrini & Farinello, 2009;Celik, 2013;Pettersson et al., 2016;Baba et al., 2017;Zakowska-Biemans & Tekien, 2017;Bray & Ankeny, 2017;Karaalp et al., 2017;Güney & Giraldo, 2019). Features such as taste, aroma and smell, depending on production methods, appear as sub-factors that affect consumers' egg preferences (Rondoni et al., 2020). ...
Studies on consumer preferences show that eggs obtained in open areas such as free-range systems and organic systems have superior taste than cage chicken eggs. Moreover, it is emphasized that the odor characteristics of eggs obtained in different production systems are different, and this reveals the necessity of determining the relevant volatile compounds. This study aimed to characterize and compare the volatile compounds responsible for the taste and aroma of eggs obtained from cage, organic and free-range systems. 60 randomly selected eggs (20 from each group sample) were analyzed by the SPME-GC-MS device. Eight volatile compounds were detected in the free-range chicken eggs, 15 in the caged chicken eggs, and 11 in the organic chicken eggs. D-limonene and 2-Butanamine, 3,3-dimethyl- compounds were determined as the main volatile odor components in all three groups of chicken eggs. Alkanes, esters, amines, acids, alcohols, ketones, aldehydes and alkenes were determined among the volatile compound groups. Acid and aldehyde groups of volatile compounds were not detected in the free-range and organic chicken eggs, as well as the ester group in free-range chicken eggs. In this study, both volatile compound numbers and compound groups of eggs belonging to different production systems were found to be different. This causes the eggs to differ in taste and aroma.
Keywords:
Cage systems; Free-range systems; Odor compounds; Organic systems; SPME-GC-MS
... This is due to the fact that this study employed a hypothetical method based on surveys without real economic consequences . Given the analysis conducted in this study, such a bias could imply the presence of a certain 'attitude-behavior gap' arising from feelings that do not necessarily translate into real purchasing decisions for WLHfriendly products (Pettersson, Weeks, Wilson ,& Nicol, 2016;Cornish et al., 2020). To mitigate potential bias, the surveys in this study were conducted in an egg-buying environment (Humble et al., 2021), and the question about consumers WTPPP emphasized the current buying situation. ...
Mexico has the highest per capita egg consumption in the world and ranks fifth in international egg production.Currently, there is a lack of data on consumer attitudes towards the welfare of laying hens (WLH) and theirwillingness-to-pay-a-price-premium (WTPPP) for cage-free eggs. To address this gap, a survey was conductedamong 1040 Mexican egg consumers in different shopping venues. The average level of concern about henwelfare was 8.6/10, with higher levels of concern among female respondents and those aged 50 and over.Consumers agreed on the impact of welfare conditions on egg quality and the need for hens to be able to expressnatural behaviors. However, they lacked sufficient information about existing regulations and how hens arereared. At least 54% of consumers were willing to pay a price premium for cage-free eggs and could be furthercategorized into three groups based on the percentage of price premium they were willing to pay. Gender and agewere significant factors differentiating consumer attitudes towards hen welfare at the socio-demographic level.However, these attitudes did not determine WTPPP for cage-free eggs. In contrast, education level played acrucial role in determining WTPPP, but not attitudes towards WLH. Our results indicate that paying premiumsfor cage-free eggs is insufficient to drive the industry’s conversion to cage-free housing systems for egg pro-duction. Rather, a strategy should be implemented to provide consumers with reliable information aboutalternative production systems to cages and their positive and negative impacts on WLH
... In line with market trends, several studies have analysed consumers' perceptions of hen welfare and their preferences and habits when buying eggs. In some cases, most consumers believe that eggs from free-range systems (Pettersson et al. 2016) and food products from an animalfriendly environments (Heng, Peterson, and Li 2013) are healthier, taste better and come from happier hens. In addition, most of consumers in the Heng et al. (2013) study perceived that caged housing decreases the welfare of hens. ...
1. In recent years, public concern regarding animal welfare has increased while, at the same time, cage systems for animal production have been greatly criticised by EU citizens. In addition, large food retailers promote food products that are made with eggs produced in cage-free systems.2. The objective of this study was to evaluate the economic viability of the transition of laying hens' to production systems; from conventional to alternative systems with improved welfare. Three independent scenarios were assumed as follows: transition from enriched colony cages to barn (S1), transition from barn to free-range (S2), and transition from free-range to organic (S3). Economic assessments of each transition was applied to a model farm in Greece with 12 000 hens, through partial budget analysis and net benefits and costs were estimated.3. The results showed a positive economic impact in all transitions to a production system of improved animal welfare (€12,044 in S1, €18,957 in S2 and €7,977 in S3) which indicated that they are economically sustainable. In all scenarios, unit cost increased by 19% in S1, 12% in S2, and 85% in S3.4. In conclusion, transitioning towards improved animal welfare production systems in laying hen farms could be an economically viable option for egg producers in compliance with societal demands and market trends.
... The ancestors of today's domestic chickens lived in forested environments and so some degree of full spectrum light may be preferable to laying hens in indoor housing (Wichman et al., 2021). As natural light contains UVA and UVB, artificial lighting that includes these wavelengths is likely to lead to more positive consumers' views on hen welfare (Schröder and McEachern, 2004;Pettersson et al., 2016). The presence of supplemental UVA/B wavelengths may mitigate hens' fear and stress responses and improve hens' natural behaviours and welfare but this needs to be tested further. ...
... Specifically, we found that overall consumers prefer free-range over organic, barn, and cage eggs. This may be related to consumers believing that free-range eggs taste better than caged eggs as previously found for United Kingdom consumers (Pettersson et al., 2016). Our results are in line with previous research for consumers in European, North and South American countries (Lemos Teixeira et al., 2018;Norwood & Lusk, 2011;Ochs et al., 2019), which show consumers are willing to pay a premium price for eggs produced using free-range, and organic production methods. ...
Food reformulation can contribute to achieve public health objectives by facilitating access to healthy, and sustainable food choices to consumers. Vitamin D is an important micronutrient that contributes to calcium absorption and bone health. Low vitamin D levels may lead to having a higher risk of poor bone, and muscle for human health. In this manuscript we investigated, for the first time, United Kingdom consumer willingness to pay (WTP), and heterogeneity preferences for vitamin D fortification of eggs. We used a choice experiment (CE) involving several hypothetical egg products (i.e. pack of 10 eggs) that vary across three attributes levels such as production method (i.e. Cage, Barn, Free-range, and Organic), vitamin (i.e. no information, or by reporting on the pack the claim “Vitamin D added”), and price (i.e. £0.80/pack, £1.90/pack, £3.00/pack, and £4.10/pack). Results suggest that, although on average consumers prefer low price eggs produced using the free-range production method and the information about vitamin D fortification does not affect their valuation, there is a significant preference heterogeneity in consumer preferences associated with animal welfare, environment, health, and price attributes. Particularly, there is a significant preference heterogeneity towards the purchasing of eggs produced using the barn production method. Furthermore, we found that consumer preferences for vitamin D fortification of eggs is affected by consumer’s age and the price of eggs. These findings provide useful insights into the psychology of consumer acceptance and attitudes that can be used in communicating the nature of the fortified vitamin D eggs to the public. They also have important implications for future labelling policies and marketing strategies of egg industry.
... A study carried out in the United Kingdom, Italy and Sweden found that consumers who believed in animal welfare saw an improvement in the taste and health of animal products, converging on better product quality and healthier animals (Mayfield et al., 2007). Other studies confirm the belief of consumers that eggs produced in more animal welfare friendly environments are of higher quality, healthier and tastier (Heng et al., 2013;Pettersson et al., 2016). Furthermore, group 1's greater belief that eggs from cage-free systems are tastier and healthier may be a motivator to increase consumption, as observed by ...
The intensification of production systems raises concerns about animal welfare. In egg production, the use of cages is the main reason for discussion. The current transition from the production system to cage-free systems raises questions about consumer perception. The objective of this study was to typify, characterize and differentiate the profile of Brazilian consumers regarding animal welfare in laying poultry. For this, a questionnaire with 28 questions, addressing questions about sociodemographic indicators (SOC), eating habits (HAB), knowledge about the production chain (CON), general perception of animal welfare in egg production (HPW) and about eggs with an animal welfare guarantee (PEAWG) was answered by 1415 consumers. Machine learning techniques were applied to characterize; typify and holistic perception. Three groups of consumers were defined: interested, emerging and indifferent. All indicators under study showed discriminatory power (P < 0.001). The indicators that showed the greatest importance for the classification of the three profiles were HPW < EHAB < COM < PEAWG < SOC. The results indicate the potential of interested and emerging groups to become consumers of cage-free eggs and also indicate the need to inform the population about animal welfare in egg production. The results reinforce the need to create specific public policies for the production chain, in order to value egg production and reaffirm interest in the area, especially in specific niches such as production in cage-free systems.
... Access to UV light by chickens provides a more natural aspect to the environment which could support consumers' views about providing or improving the environment of farmed species (Schröder and McEachern, 2004;Vanhonacker and Verbeke, 2014;Pettersson et al., 2016). In this study sitting active was distinguished from sitting inactive; this was an attempt to understand inactive states in more detail (as proposed by Fureix andMeagher, 2015 andHintze et al., 2020). ...
Within intensive poultry production systems, broilers are reared indoors, at fast growth rates in controlled environments with little access to natural light, which together impacts the expression of natural behaviours. Birds can see into the ultraviolet spectrum and the provision of ultraviolet-B (UVB) light may support the expression of natural behaviour and endogenous synthesis of vitamin D 3 (vitD 3). Commercially, chickens regularly encounter stressors, and both the environment and diet can influence their response to stressors. This study was designed to compare the impacts of providing dietary vitD 3 at 4000 IU/kg (VitD) compared with provision via UVB light on the behaviour of broilers challenged with periodic social isolation stress. One-day-old Ross 308 broiler chicks (n = 192) were randomly allocated to non-isolated (control) and periodically isolated groups and were provided with either, additional dietary vitD 3 , or UVB light, in a 2 × 2 factorial design. UVB lamps were provided in all pens (12% UVB D3 of 55 cm length, 24-Watt, 280-315 nm wavelength and 28.12 µW/cm2 intensity) but in the VitD treatment, there were filters to remove UVB. Behaviour was recorded from video footage using instantaneous scans measuring the number of birds engaged in each behaviour six times per day on 12 days spread across days 2-39, resulting in 72 scan samples per pen. Body weight was measured weekly and analysed to provide context for understanding the activity of broilers. Body weight was modelled using growth curves and poisson models were used to analyse behaviour, controlling for the number of birds visible in scans. Chickens performed less active behaviour when they had been periodically isolated. Chickens spent more time sitting inactive (and less sitting active) and sleeping when they received UVB light but were not isolated. Sunbathing was lower in isolation treatments compared to controls, but this effect was reduced when they received UVB lighting. The growth rate of chickens was highest in the isolation and VitD treatment and higher for VitD compared to UVB treatments. Higher activity on days 2 and 39 was associated with a lower growth rate. These results indicate some benefits of supplementation of UVB light in terms of observing natural behaviour when chickens are exposed to stressors. However, we did not observe large differences in behaviour in chickens receiving UVB light compared to those provided with VitD. Further research is needed to investigate the benefits and optimal level of UVB light to support the behaviour and welfare of broilers.
... Although eggs produced by alternative methods are commonly accessible on the market, little is known regarding their internal and external quality standards (Jalal et al., 2006;Schwartz & Gameiro, 2017). Several factors can influence egg size and quality such as bird physiology, oviposition time, cage structure, number of birds per cage, egg collection frequency, bird age, nutrition, handling conditions, health status, temperature and humidity, genetics, and bird management (Vits et al., 2005;Pettersson et al., 2016). The factors that influence the quality of albumen and yolk are the time and temperature of egg storage, strain, and age of the laying hen, as well as nutritional management and health status. ...
Eggs are foods with almost perfect proteins, while also containing nutrients with high biological value. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the morphological structure, physical-chemical, nutritional, and microbiological parameters of commercial and free-range eggs sold in the municipality of Santarém, State of Pará, Brazil. The two types of eggs were also compared to check for any differences in quality. The evaluations were conducted on variables such as Haugh unit, weight loss, egg width and length, specific gravity, yolk and albumen dimensions, pH, among others. A total of 240 eggs were purchased in the Brazilian municipality of Santarém (2º45’06” S and 54º70’09” W). A statistical study was also performed using the BIOESTAT 5.0 statistical program. A comparison of the industrial and free-range eggs and their various parameters is given in the tables along with the coefficient of variation. The results obtained were satisfactory and showed that the quality of eggs is affected more by environmental factors than by the source from which they are obtained. The results were also compared to previously published literature, and it was determined that this study offers a better foundation for the nutritional examination of egg quality.
Keywords:
Storage time; free-range eggs; industrial eggs; health status; physical composition
... Poultry is the farming species that raises the highest public concern regarding welfare management practices [9]. Consumers are willing to pay more for eggs from cage-free or free-range systems [18][19][20] or eggs from more "welfare-friendly" furnished cages [21]. They are also willing to pay an extra cost for organic meat [22], meat from slow-growing chickens [23] or meat from dual-purpose farming systems, where male chickens are reared for their meat and females for their eggs [24]. ...
Animal welfare is a key and distinct component of sustainable agriculture and food security. People, both as citizens and consumers, have become more concerned about the husbandry of livestock species. Positive welfare goes a step further than the common welfare approach, supporting that a good life for animals is not only the alleviation of negative aspects, but also the promotion of positive affectivities. So, a sustainable management system for any livestock species should promote positive aspects in the lives of animals. Poultry is one of the species whose welfare is most impaired, and numerous concerns are raised by society. For all the above, we reviewed the positive welfare indicators that have been studied in livestock poultry and that can be used to promote positive effects and assess welfare for the most common species, i.e., broilers, laying hens, turkeys, ducks, geese, quails and ostriches. We analyzed the results categorized by species, discussed the connection of the indicators with sustainable management, and made proposals for future studies. Exploration and dustbathing have been extensively studied and seem most promising, especially in broilers and laying hens, followed by nesting and perching, and swimming for waterfowl. Qualitative behavioral assessment (QBA) is already applied in protocols for broilers and laying hens, but the results are not as promising due to the homogeneity of the flock and the difficulty in observations. Play has been studied mostly in broilers but is a behavior difficult to recognize and needs further understanding. The results are limited for all species, except broilers and laying hens.
... Access to UV light by chickens provides a more natural aspect to the environment which could support consumers' views about providing or improving the environment of farmed species (Schröder and McEachern, 2004;Vanhonacker and Verbeke, 2014;Pettersson et al., 2016). In this study sitting active was distinguished from sitting inactive; this was an attempt to understand inactive states in more detail (as proposed by Fureix andMeagher, 2015 andHintze et al., 2020). ...
... This evolution is mirrored in the production of eggs for human use (Ledvinka et al. 2012). According to Pettersson et al. (2016), consumers purchase free-range eggs because they feel the chickens are "happier" and "healthier," and they believe the eggs taste better. Further, they found that free-range conditions contribute to hen welfare. ...
The chicken egg is a high-quality protein food widely consumed all over the world. Consumer acceptance is a determining factor of egg quality with respect to cleanliness, freshness, egg weight, shell quality, yolk index, albumen index, Haugh unit and chemical composition. The present study investigated the physical quality characteristics of eggs of Naked neck (village) and Bovans (commercial) chicken breeds in coastal areas of Ampara district. A total of 60 eggs, 30 from each breed were purchased for analysis. The eggs were stored at room temperature during analysis. The egg weight, egg length, egg width, shape index, shell weight, shell thickness, albumen pH, albumen height, Haugh unit, yolk height, yolk length, yolk width, yolk index and yolk color were determined. The study revealed that the egg weight, shell width, shell weight, shell thickness and yolk color were significantly different (p<0.01) between the eggs of Naked neck and Bovans breeds whereas egg length, shape index, albumin pH, albumen height, Haugh unit, yolk height, yolk length, yolk width and yolk index were not significantly different (p<0.05). The mean egg weight of Naked neck chicken was lower than Bovans chicken's eggs. The shell strength of Bovans chicken eggs is better than Naked neck chicken eggs. From the findings of the study, it is concluded that several physical external quality characteristics investigated are found to be at a higher level in Bovans chicken eggs than in Naked neck chicken eggs.
... Consumers have become increasingly aware of the conditions for livestock in intensive farming systems [12] , which led to animal health and welfare becoming essential criteria when evaluating the acceptability of animal products [13][14][15] . Various organizations have been established to ensure the appropriate treatment of dairy cows across the world, including the World Organization of Animal Health (OIE), the International Dairy Federation (IDF) and the Dairy Standard Agency (DSA) [16 , 17] . ...
Health and welfare are inextricably linked within efficient and sustainable dairy production, and several potential risk factors may affect the well-being of dairy cows, including chronic stress. Although auditory stimuli could be used as a tool to decrease the potential stress that cows might experience, it is seldom applied to livestock production systems due to the perception that enrichment is an unnecessary expense. This study aimed to explore the effect of auditory stimuli as a form of enrichment in a Holstein herd by monitoring faecal glucocorticoid metabolite (fGCM) concentrations (a non-invasive, stress-associated biomarker). Cow activity level and milk yield were also measured. Nine cows in their second and third lactation were divided into three groups, using a Latin Square experimental design, exposing each cow group to each of the three treatments, namely constant exposure (CE), limited exposure (LE), and no exposure (NE) to classical music. FGCMs were quantified using a group-specific enzyme immunoassay detecting 11,17-dioxoandrostanes. Compared to LE and NE animals, cows exposed to constant music had significantly lower fGCM concentrations (P = 0.012), as well as higher milk yields (P < 0.0001) and lowered activity levels during the morning (P = 0.005) and the evening activity period (P = 0.048). These findings indicate that auditory stimuli in the form of classical music may have a positive effect on the welfare of cows as well as milk yield, which hold economic benefits for the producer and potentially reduces the number of cows needed for profitable production.
... Questionnaire's items and sources GPI1 I am willing to pay more for a green product, avoiding cheaper ones that harm the environment Costa et al.(2021);Kaur et al. (2022); Diva (2020);Kashi (2019), Lai and Cheng(2016)GPI2 I will consider buying green products, as they conserve energy resources GPI3 I will consider buying green products, as they are recycled materials GPI4 I have the perception that green products have more excellent added value, and therefore I am willing to pay more PRO2 The products I use must not harm the environment PRO3 Green products or services are good for health PRO4 The quality of green products or services is betterPRI2Green product or services prices should be reasonable to motivate consumers to buyPRI3The price and quality of green products or services are proportionatePRI4The enhanced performance of green products or services justifies their price Place PLA1 Green products or services are regularly available nearby PLA2 Green products or services are readily available nearby PLA3 Green products or services are widely available in all places Promotion PRM1 I tend to pay attention to advertising messages about the environment Hossain and Rahman (2018);Bailey et al. (2018);Misra and Singh(2016);Pettersson et al. (2016) PRM2 Consumers are facilitated by environmental advertisements to make informed buying decisions PRM3 Green advertisements increase consumers' awareness of the benefits of green products or services ...
The undertaken research examines the impact of green attitude, green customer value (e.g., environmental image and perceived value), and green marketing mix (e.g., product, packaging, price, promotion, and place) on green purchasing intention. The research has integrated fundamental theoretical approaches of customers’ purchasing such as attitude-behavior context (ABC) theory, signaling theory, and theory of planned behavior (TPB) in the modified conceptual framework. Additionally, this research has also incorporated the green psychological benefits (e.g., nature experience, self-expressive, and warm glow) as mediating construct. The modified conceptual framework also unified green marketing (e.g., environmental advertising and green word of mouth) as moderator to investigate further the connotation between attitude, green customer value, green marketing mix, and green purchase intention. The survey method is used to collect data with a sample size of 896 customers that are well-versed with eco-friendly green products and services from the different urban centers of the USA. The data is analyzed through a structural equation modeling (SEM)–based multivariate approach by using SPSS 26, AMOS 26, and conditional process modeling software. The findings have demonstrated a positive and significant impact of green customer value, green marketing mix, and attitude on the green purchase intention of US customers. The study has further concluded that the green psychological benefits (mediator) and green advertising (moderator) have a significant influence on a relationship between attitude, green customer value (environmental image and perceived value), green marketing mix, and green purchasing intention. The results of this research can be helpful for researchers and academicians to get insight into theoretical approaches to green purchasing, and it can also be helpful for marketers to devise green marketing strategies to gain optimal competitive advantage in the long run.
... As consumer demand for more humanely raised food grows, producers are transitioning away from caged housing systems towards alternative cage-free systems, such as organic poultry production (Rondoni et al., 2020). In addition to being cage-free, organic hens are also provided with outdoor access with the presumption being that outdoor access equates to improved hen welfare (Bennett et al., 2016;Pettersson et al., 2016). In reality, outdoor access can cause poor welfare if hens are unable to adapt to novel and sometimes challenging environments, a trait that varies amongst individuals and between strains of laying hens (Jones et al., 1995;Hocking et al., 2004;Campbell et al., 2016Campbell et al., , 2020a. ...
Outdoor range areas provide laying hens with improved opportunities to perform natural behaviors and increase the available space per bird, however, birds are also exposed to potentially stressful factors including weather and predators. Ability to cope with challenging environments varies between different strains and must be considered to ensure good welfare. The aim of this study was to determine how suitable two hybrids, the Dekalb White (DW) and the Bovans Brown (BB), are for organic production with special emphasis on ranging behavior. A total of 1200 hens were housed according to organic regulations across 12 flocks of 100 birds. Range and shelter use, effect of weather, vegetation cover, egg production and quality, and mortality were assessed in addition to a range of clinical welfare indicators. Initially a greater proportion of DW hens accessed the range. However, after approximately two months, a greater proportion of BB were using the range and venturing further from the house. DW hens were more likely to use the shelters than BB hens (P<0.001). Vegetation was also worn away to a greater extent in the BB ranges. Weather affected the proportion of hens that went outside, the distance ranged from the popholes, and shelter use. BB hens were found to have better plumage condition (P<0.001), fewer footpad lesions (P<0.001), fewer comb wounds (P<0.001), and lower mortality rates (P=0.013). Both hybrids experienced keel bone fractures, though DW hens had more at the cranial portion (P<0.001) and BB at the caudal portion (P<0.001). DW hens had an earlier onset of lay and higher egg production than BB hens (P<0.001), though BB hens laid heavier eggs (P<0.001) with thicker shells (P=0.001). Overall, BB hens seemed to perform superiorly or equivalently to the DW hens for all variables apart from egg production. These results demonstrate the importance of considering the strain of bird selected for organic production systems in order for the birds to reap the potential benefits that are offered by outdoor access.
... Introduction Free-range poultry systems are prevalent within Australia and consumers favour them due to their perceived greater naturalness. Free-range laying hen systems in place of intensive indoor housing meet consumer demands of perceived improved welfare as well as perceived healthier eggs [1][2][3][4]. Free-range hens get exposure to sunlight for at least part of the day with access to move freely in an outdoor area rather than continuous indoor housing. The outdoor exposure provides hens the opportunity to access natural vitamins from herbage, and vitamin D 3 from ultraviolet (UV) radiation in sunlight [5][6][7] in addition to what is provided in their formulated feed. ...
In Australia, summer brings intense, bright sunlight with high ultraviolet (UV) radiation and hot temperatures, which might impact free-range hens’ ranging outside. To determine how range use was correlated with different sunlight variables and weather factors, a study was carried out on three commercial free-range layer farms during the summer/autumn period (December-May) across diverse regions of Australia in Tasmania (TAS), Queensland (QLD), and Western Australia (WA). Hens’ range distribution was determined by counting the number of hens in the direct sunlight (‘sun’) or ‘cloud’ and shaded areas (‘sun-shade’ or ‘cloud-shade’, in sunny or cloudy conditions, respectively) using image snapshots taken at 30 min intervals from video recordings of a portion of one shed comprising 20,000–30,000 hens on each farm during the production phase of the laying cycle. The solar radiation spectrum [UV radiation (UVAB) (288–432 nm), photosynthetically active radiation (PAR; visible light) (400–700 nm), and total solar radiation (TSR) (285 nm-3000 nm)] and weather data (ambient temperature and relative humidity) were recorded through an on-site weather station. Data were analysed separately due to discrepancies between the farms’ layouts. The effects of time of day and months on range use were analysed using General Linear Models in JMP® 16.0 and the relationship of sunlight and weather variables with hens’ distribution in ‘sun’/’sun-shade’ and ‘cloud’/’cloud-shade’ in sunny and cloudy conditions respectively was determined by fitting linear ridge regression models using the ‘lmridge’ package in R. Overall, the time of day and month had significant effects on hens’ distribution on the range (all p < 0.0001). Hens’ range occupancy in the ‘sun’ decreased during the midday period with gradual increases in the late afternoon to evening, and the opposite pattern in the ‘sun-shade’. A linear increase in the number of hens on the range over the months indicated the seasonal effects on hen ranging patterns. Temperature, UVAB and PAR were the most important factors for discouraging hens’ range use in the ‘sun’ suggesting free-range systems in Australia should be designed to account for the extreme sunlight using adequate shade for optimum ranging across summer.
... In his words, "if a hen's mind, like ours, provides the conscious awareness of pleasant and unpleasant feelings (associated with brain states induced by various sensory inputs and cognitive processes), welfare -the balance of the complex mixture and interaction of these feelings -is all that matters. Though there is a large variation as to how consumers feel, the typical UK consumer has the belief that if farm animals are not cared for properly the animals can suffer stating that the consumer, whoever they might be, would not want this to happen [21]. But for the farmers, though they share the consumer's view on not wanting to cause the animals to suffer, they have a further interest in high welfare standards because it correlates to a certain extent with productivity and in some cases cost-effectiveness and market value [8]. ...
Animal welfare is greatly influenced and affected by many factors; one of such factors is the cost of production of poultry. Currently , no conclusion has yet been drawn on these findings. Although a lot of research and studies have been carried out on the welfare of the animals with regards to commercial poultry production. The essence of this review is to investigate the balance between the welfare and economics of the chicken industry (Egg Production). It has been deduced that an outstanding animal welfare scheme should comprise a balanced diet, a conducive environment, good health, and freedom of expression of normal behavior However, it is concluded that the cost of production still lies within a considerable level when taking into cognizance the negative implications of not observing the five freedoms.
... Free-range laying hen production systems are prevalent within Australia due to their popularity with consumers [1]. Across Australia and internationally, free-range hens are perceived to have improved welfare and the eggs are preferred by consumers for perceived better quality and health benefits [2,3]. However, the welfare status of hens in free-range systems can be complex as there are both benefits and challenges to providing birds with outdoor access [4]. ...
Enrichment during the indoor rearing of pullets destined for free-range systems may optimize pullet development including increasing motivated natural behaviors (termed ‘positive behaviors’) including foraging, dust bathing and chick play. Hy-Line Brown® chicks (n = 1700) were floor-reared indoors across 16 weeks with three enrichment treatments (n = 3 pens/treatment): (1) standard control, (2) weekly novel objects—‘novelty’, (3) perching/navigation structures—‘structural’. At 16 weeks, pullets (n = 1386) were transferred to nine identical pens within rearing treatments with outdoor range access from 25 to 65 weeks. Video cameras recorded the pullet pens, adult indoor pens, and outside range. During rearing, observations of play behavior (running, frolicking, wing-flapping, sparring) in chicks at 2, 4 and 6 weeks (total of 432 thirty-second scans: 16 observations × 3 days × 9 pens) showed no overall effect of rearing treatment (p = 0.16). At 11 and 14 weeks only the ‘novelty’ hens were observed to increase their foraging across age (p = 0.009; dust bathing: p = 0.40) (total of 612 thirty-second scans per behavior: 17 observations × 2 days × 2 age points × 9 pens). Observations of adult hens at 26, 31, 41, 50, 60 and 64 weeks showed that the structural hens exhibited overall more dust bathing and foraging than the control hens (both p < 0.04) but both novelty and/or structural hens showed small increases depending on the behavior and location (total of 4104 scans per behavior: 17 observations × 2 days × 6 age points × 9 pens × 2 locations = 3672 + an additional 432 observations following daylight saving). Across age, adult hens differed in the degree of dust bathing performed inside or outside (both p ≤ 0.001) and foraging outside (p < 0.001) but not inside (p = 0.15). For litter-reared pullets, additional enrichments may result in some long-term increases in positive behaviors.
... A percepção de qualidade é de suma importância quando se trata de alimentos, pois está intimamente relacionada à percepção de valor e ao comportamento de compra (JAAFAR, et al. 2012 Portanto, mesmo que a maioria dos entrevistados possa ignorar a forma com que os ovos são produzidos, fica evidente que ainda são sensíveis às informações sobre o bem-estar animal, uma vez que creem que a condição de vida das poedeiras pode afetar a qualidade dos ovos. No Reino Unido, os consumidores de ovos free-range percebem que as galinhas criadas neste sistema são mais felizes por ter acesso ao ambiente externo e respirar ar puro e, em consequência, produzem ovos mais saudáveis e saborosos (PETTERSSON et al., 2016). ...
O objetivo desta pesquisa foi estudar as preferências dos consumidores de Dracena/SP em relação a diferentes sistemas de produção de ovos de galinha, considerando o bem-estar animal. Para isso, foram realizadas entrevistas pessoais com questionário. No total, 65 consumidores participaram da pesquisa, em março de 2019. Os resultados mostram que, mesmo existindo uma preocupação quanto ao bem-estar animal, o sistema de produção é o aspecto menos importante na percepção da qualidade dos ovos. Verificou-se uma relação positiva entre percepção do nível de bem-estar das aves e a disposição a pagar pelos ovos. Considerando a margem de comercialização, estima-se que o prêmio que os produtores rurais receberiam seria de R 0,64/dúzia (sistema free-run) e R$ 1,10/dúzia (sistema free-range) pelos ovos. Confrontando os valores dos prêmios com os custos de produção, os produtores rurais têm incentivos econômicos para migrar do sistema de produção de ovos convencional para um sistema que melhore as condições de bem-estar animal.
... The provision of UV light has garnered increasing interest with recent reviews highlighting the potential benefits for extending the commercial hen laying cycle (England and Ruhnke, 2020), and for enhancing vitamin D content in eggs for human health (Barnkob et al., 2020). Access to UV light is also more natural for poultry which may align with consumers' views that a more "natural" environment is better for bird welfare (Schröder and McEachern, 2004;Vanhonacker and Verbeke, 2014;Pettersson et al., 2016). This view extends to the increases in free-range poultry systems (Scrinis et al., 2017) where access to daylight/sunlight is one factor considered important by consumers (de Jonge and van Trijp, 2013). ...
The application of ultraviolet (UV) light in poultry production is garnering increased interest with the drive toward improved poultry welfare and optimized production. Poultry can see in the UV spectrum (UVA wavelengths: 320–400 nm) thus inclusion of these shorter wavelengths may be viewed as more natural but are typically excluded in conventional artificial lights. Furthermore, UVB wavelengths (280–315) have physiological impact through stimulation of vitamin D pathways that can then improve skeletal health. However, better understanding of the effects of UV supplementation must occur before implementation practically. This non-systematic literature review aimed to summarize the impacts of UV supplementation on the behavior, welfare, and production of laying hens, meat chickens (breeders and growers), and other domestic poultry species including directions for future research. The literature demonstrated that UVA light has positive impacts on reducing fear and stress responses but in some research, it significantly increases feather pecking over age during the production phase. UVB light will significantly improve skeletal health, but an optimum duration of exposure is necessary to get this benefit. Supplementation with UVB light may have more distinct impacts on egg production and eggshell quality when hens are experiencing a dietary vitamin D3 deficiency, or if they are at the terminal end of production. The relative benefits of UVB supplementation across different ages needs to be further verified along with commercial trials to confirm beneficial or detrimental impacts of adding UVA wavelengths. Further research is warranted to determine whether adding natural light wavelengths to indoor poultry production is indeed a positive step toward optimizing commercial
housing systems.
... Consumer concern regarding the sustainability of production and animal welfare has strongly increased the demand for eggs and meat that are produced through alternative and extensive farming methods. The demand has progressively focused on product quality traits, their intrinsic characteristics, and general awareness about poultry production methods [8,[11][12][13][14][15]. ...
Biodiversity concerns and the sustainability of agroecological systems, together with consumer demand for higher quality products from alternative and extensive farming methods, have reinforced interest in local breeds that are well adapted to low-input environments. The first reference to Portuguese poultry breeds appeared in the 1930s, with registration and breeding programs of native breeds only being implemented in the last ten years. Portuguese chicken breeds (Pedrês Portuguesa, Preta Lusitânica, Amarela, and Branca) are almost extinct and are currently bred on small-scale farms for egg and meat production. This study aimed to characterize the performance of laying hens, evaluating the influence of genotype, age, and season on egg production over four years in farm conditions. The results highlight the Pedrês Portuguesa as the most productive breed regarding egg production and reveal a tendency for an increase in egg production performance by the Branca in contrast with the lower productive capacity of the Preta Lusitânica. Older hens start laying earlier in consecutive laying periods, present a shorter peak, and an inferior number of total eggs/cycle. There is a need to establish breeding goals and to evaluate and revise breeding programs to increase productivity in autochthonous Portuguese chicken breeds.
... Free-range systems in Trinidad should therefore not be viewed as a threat or vilified, but rather seen as a means to improve animal welfare while lowering production costs and creating opportunities for more resilient, integrated small farming systems. Such freerange systems may include benefits like improved quality of eggs and meat and a reduction in the use of antimicrobials (Pettersson et al. 2016;Hedman et al. 2020;Miao et al. 2005). ...
Backyard chickens in rural communities of developing countries provide a potential means for the production of resilient, integrated small poultry farming systems. Despite this, they are often affiliated with the transmission of the economically important Newcastle disease virus (NDV). Presently, in Trinidad, information gaps exist regarding the backyard chicken population. To promote a better understanding of the serological status to NDV in this farming system, 303 unvaccinated backyard chickens from 11 farms across five counties in Trinidad were assessed for the presence of serum NDV antibodies using two commercial enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISAs). The study also explored the potential application of egg yolk samples for serological testing using a chloroform-free technique. In addition, data on farm locations, demographics, vaccination status, general management and biosecurity practices were obtained using a cross-sectional survey. An association was identified between the ID Screen® Newcastle Disease Conventional Vaccines (NDVS-CV) ELISA and the ID Screen® Newcastle Disease Nucleoprotein Indirect (NDVNP) ELISA (χ 2 1df, P = 0.001). The results indicate the presence of two different NDV antibody types in the serum of unvaccinated backyard chickens across farms in Trinidad. Differences in test seropositivity are suggestive of the influence of geospatial, general management, biosecurity and husbandry factors. These results can provide a useful background in the design of prospective NDV studies that aim at bridging the knowledge gap to promote situational awareness.
... patterns, grooming, scratching, exploration, etc., which impacts on the level of laying hen welfare. Housing systems that have free access are considered as the best welfare-friendly systems (Pettersson et al., 2016 ). Under pressure from consumers and welfare movements, layer hen welfare became an important issue in stimulating market innovations which led to the classification of commercially available table eggs into different categories. ...
The effect of storage time at a temperature of 8°C on the direction and dynamics of changes in quality traits of eggs was investigated in shelled table eggs obtained from different egg production systems (cage system – CS, barn system – BS, free-range system – FRS). After 7, 14 and 28 d of storage, eggs from each housing system were tested for physical characteristics and for cholesterol content and fatty acid profile in the yolk. The weight of eggs from all studied housing systems declined with storage duration. The rate of weight loss was smallest in eggs from CS (P<0.05). Storage duration influenced eggshell traits but the rate and direction of these changes did not differ among the studied housing systems. Albumen height and Haugh unit score for eggs from rearing systems under study declined during storage (P<0.05). The greatest reduction of albumen height (18.85%) after the storage period was observed for CS eggs and the lowest (13.24%) for FRS eggs (P<0.05). No effect of storage duration on yolk colour intensity was observed for eggs from all the studied housing systems (P>0.05). Albumen pH increased with storage duration in eggs from all the egg production systems (P<0.05). The increase in the yolk pH during storage was the highest in FRS eggs and the lowest in the CS eggs. The storage duration of eggs from the different housing systems did not significantly influence albumen foaming capacity but adversely affected foam stability. There was no impact of storage duration of eggs from different housing systems on cholesterol content in the yolk. Eggs obtained from the different housing systems showed diverse fatty acid profiles in the yolk but this parameter did not significantly change during storage (P>0.05).
O termo bem-estar abrange diversas áreas e possuem inúmeros significados, deve ser definido de forma que permita pronta relação com outros conceitos, tais como: necessidades, liberdade, felicidade, adaptação, controle, capacidade de previsão, sentimentos, sofrimento, dor, ansiedade, medo, tédio, estresse e saúde. Dentro das diretrizes da avinucultura, este assunto tem estado em pauta nas discussões e debates sobre as formas de criação e abates de animais de produção. As “cinco liberdades de Brambell”, busca assegurar que os animais tenham liberdade para: "virar-se", "deitar-se", "levantar-se", "estirar seus membros" e "cuidar do seu próprio corpo". A discussão sobre o bem-estar de aves de postura e corte é um tema muito argumentado por organizações que tratam da saúde, do bem-estar animal e da segurança alimentar. Atualmente, o consumidor passou a expressar preocupação com os alimentos de origem animal que consomem e sobre as condições em que os animais são mantidos durante o período de produção, isso faz com que as práticas de bem-estar estejam em evidencia, ocupando um lugar de grande importância na economia atual.
US consumers' increasing concern for farm animal welfare signals a noticeable shift toward more ethical considerations in food choices. This study examines consumer preferences for egg production methods, specifically “cage‐free,” “free‐range,” and “pasture‐raised,” utilizing a choice experiment. Our results found that respondents struggled to differentiate various different animal welfare (AW) labels. it also reveals that the interaction of these labels with specific demographic characteristics may influence consumer perception. This study provides timely insights into consumer understanding of AW labels in egg production, aiding producers, marketers, and policymakers in navigating the evolving landscape of ethical food production.
This study examines the factors influencing organic food consumption and willingness to pay premium prices in the context of an emerging economy. The extended attitudinal behavior-scenario model, rooted in Signaling theory, served as the foundation for the proposed model. A convenience sample of 470 young Chinese consumers was collected through online and offline surveys. Partial least squares structural equation modeling was used to test the hypothesized relationships. The results reveal that consumers’ environmental concern, environmental values, value perception, price sensitivity, and green promotion significantly affect their attitudes toward organic food. In addition, consumers’ health consciousness, value perception, price sensitivity, and green promotion demonstrate significant positive effects on their intention to consume organic food. Moreover, consumer attitude toward organic food substantially influences their intention to consume it. Similarly, consumer attitude, intention, and green psychological benefits significantly affect their willingness to pay premium prices for organic food. In addition, the indirect effects of consumer attitude toward organic food and intention to consume in the relationship between the factors and willingness to pay premium prices provide interesting findings. This study offers valuable guidance for policymakers in developing appropriate strategies to expand the organic food market and provides a solid foundation for future research on organic food consumption. This study suggests that policymakers should concentrate on enhancing awareness and knowledge of organic food, promoting organic food production, and prioritizing campaigns that emphasize the exceptional health advantages of organic food to encourage greater consumption.
The implementation of more animal welfare-centric livestock production systems holds considerable potential for achieving sustainable production in Japan. However, such systems generally reduce productivity per unit area, impose financial burdens on farmers that adversely affect their physical and mental health, and require increased consumer awareness. In particular, declines in productivity per unit area substantially affect the farming economy, giving rise to concerns about the sufficient egg production for the population, which consequently exacerbates Japan’s food security concerns.In this study, our goal was to predict temporal trends in the Japanese transition to welfare-centric facilities by analyzing desired egg consumption. We formulated five scenarios, ending in 2050, to assess the future impact of changing the proportions of types of egg production on total production, numbers of hens, total farm area, production costs, and retail prices. Multiple issues were identified in our analysis. First, Japanese production uses conventional caging, which provides high efficiency, maximum output, and decreased prices. Our simulations suggest that ensuring optimal production is likely to present challenges as animal welfare is addressed. They also suggest that the poultry industry or the Japanese government will likely need to plan changes in production methods will likely be necessary to prevent egg surpluses and/or shortages. Additional issues were identified, including price increases, numbers of hens, total farm area, and production costs. This study offers valuable insights for policymakers in their decision-making processes to help optimize production methods while considering food security, animal welfare, and farmers’ welfare.
Preference tests remain a useful tool in the assessment of laying hen welfare and have been used to establish what types of resources and enrichments are most likely to meet the birds' needs. Evidence on the underlying structure of bird preference suggests that hens make stable and reliable choices across time and context. This means that their preferences can also be used as a benchmark in the validation of other welfare indicators. Hens have sophisticated cognitive abilities. They are quick to form associations between events and they are flexible in how they apply their knowledge in different contexts. However, they may not form expectations about the world in the same way as some mammalian species. Limited research in this area to date seems to show that hens judge situations in absolute terms rather than evaluating how a situation may be improving or deteriorating. The proportion of hens housed in cage-free systems is increasing globally, providing birds with greater behavioural freedom. Many of the problems associated with cage-free systems, such as keel bone fractures, mortality and injurious pecking, are slowly reducing due to improved experience and appropriate changes in rearing practices, diet, housing design and alignment of breeding goals. However, much remains to be done. The design and performance of veranda-based systems which provide hens with fresh air and natural light is a promising avenue for future research aimed at optimising hen welfare and improving sustainability.
In recent years public goods received more attention, especially the public good climate. Many people claim that there is an urgent need for regulations to reduce global warming. Besides new policy regulations, many actors also demand an individual behavior change in line with less environmental pollution. From a theoretical perspective, this change is unlikely to happen. A high preference for the environment should not result in a revealed willingness to pay for this good, as one's contribution is only marginal. This explains why demanding stricter environmental regulations and individual extensive environmental pollution are not contradicting. In contrast to this explanation, a growing number of people individually contribute to the provision of public goods, e.g., by compensating for their flight emissions. At first glance, this behavior seems to contradict the standard economic theory. However, an explanation that is in line with economic theory can be found focusing on different preferences linked to public goods. Social incentives like gaining reputation and silencing one's conscience can explain the observed behavior. Thus, we can interpret the revealed willingness to pay as a willingness to pay for social incentives apart from the public good. Based on this idea, in the first paper of this thesis, we try to develop a simple microeconomic calculus to distinguish the willingness to pay for public goods and social incentives. We implement a so-called Quasi-Monarch setting to measure the willingness to pay for public goods. In the second paper, we try to apply the idea of this model to reality. For this, we measure the willingness to pay for eggs using different scenarios. By separating different preferences from the stated willingness to pay for different varieties of eggs, we try to identify the willingness to pay for social incentives and the public good production animal welfare. Determining the real willingness to pay for the public good is crucial for politicians to establish welfare-increasing standards. However, in the light of public choice, we consider politicians as self-interested utility maximizes. This raises the question of whether politicians provide the level of the public good that is in line with the individual's willingness to pay for the public good. The median voter model shows that politicians are forced to provide the preferred amount of public goods of the median voter to win an election. However, this standard model only shows the demand side and does not consider the supply side. In my third paper, I develop a simple microeconomic calculus that includes the demand and supply side and provides an easy way to analyze changes in preferences and budgets and different market forms in the price-quantity scheme. But do politicians align their positions to the one of the median voter as theory predicts? In reality, the precise theoretical predictions of the median voter model are difficult to measure. Since the median voter is a static model, it just states an equilibrium but does not make any predictions how this equilibrium is reached. In the fourth paper of this thesis, we develop a model to measure the median voter in a framework that is in line with economic theory. We use the 2016 U.S. presidential election to evaluate the median voter model. The key feature of this analysis is the shift of the median voter in the transition from primary elections (where each party designates its candidate) to the presidential election.We expect candidates to align their positions to the median voter of the party in the primaries and the median voter of all citizens in the presidential elections. Using this shift, we try to analyze the median voter theorem in line with theory.
Purpose
Little is known about the external stimuli, which trigger a change in a consumer's cognitive and affective state and lead to a consumer's willingness to pay a premium price (WTPPP) behavioural response. This study aims to close this knowledge gap by providing insight into how a unique combination of antecedents affects consumer attitude toward purchasing free-range eggs and leads to a behavioural response, which is measured by consumer WTPPP for free-range eggs.
Design/methodology/approach
An online questionnaire was developed, with data collected from 392 Australian consumers. This study employs confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) to examine the measurement model before testing the hypothesised relationships using covariance-based structural equation modelling (CB-SEM).
Findings
The study reveals that the tested customer perceived value (CPV) dimensions, animal welfare and source credibility are positive stimuli of consumer attitude towards purchasing free-range eggs, which subsequently promotes consumer WTPPP for free-range eggs.
Research limitations/implications
Findings drawn from Australian consumers may not be generalisable to consumers from disparate contexts, and stimuli beyond those tested may influence consumer attitude and WTPPP.
Originality/value
This is one of the first studies to use the stimulus–organism–response (SOR) theory to investigate and contribute to extant knowledge and understanding of consumer behaviour relating to free-range eggs and specifically of consumer attitude towards purchasing and WTPPP for free-range eggs. This study offers practical implications for free-range egg farmers, retailers and policymakers.
Huhn und Mensch sind seit mindestens 3500 Jahren miteinander verbunden. Hühner sind die mit Abstand häufigsten Landwirbeltiere der Erde, auf einen Menschen fallen ca. drei Haushühner. Sie sind das Paradebeispiel industrieller Landwirtschaft, doch ist das Bewusstsein um die Fähigkeiten, die Kulturgeschichte, das Schicksal des wichtigsten Nutztiers in der Bevölkerung gering. Gleichzeitig gibt es eine interessante Wechselwirkung zwischen Hühnern und Kindern, die man sich in tiergestützten Interventionen gerne zunutze macht. In Schulen der Sekundarstufe findet man Hühner aber erstaunlich selten. Diese Arbeit widmet sich einem Pionierprojekt in einer Wiener AHS, wo im Zuge einer Unverbindlichen Übung (UVÜ) mit rd. 40 Teilnehmer*innen der 5. bis 7. Schulstufe die Implementierung von Schulhühnern im Schulgarten vorbereitet wird. Es werden Themen rund um das Haushuhn, seine Biologie und Ethologie sowie seine Haltungsansprüche identifiziert und erläutert. Diese dienen als inhaltliche Basis der Lehrveranstaltung. Pädagogische Ziele werden formuliert genauso wie grundsätzliche Spannungsfelder zwischen tiergerechter Haltung und dem System Schule, die sich bereits im Vorfeld abzeichnen. Weiters wird eine Jahresplanung präsentiert, wie die vorgestellten Themen als Unterrichtsmodule geclustert und in rd. 36 Schulstunden vermittelt werden können. Dieser Grobkonzeption folgt die detaillierte Feinkonzeption von zwei Unterrichtsblocks, eine Beschreibung deren tatsächlicher Durchführung und eine Erläuterung der damit einhergegangenen Probleme bzw. Verbesserungsvorschläge. Als Ergebnisse der ersten Unterrichtseinheiten wurden uner anderem die Komplexität der Lehrveranstaltung sowie erste Bedenken zum Tierwohl der beteiligten Hühner identifiziert.
Fridays for future, students for future, scientists for future… Environmental activism increased drastically in the last years resulting in a growing number of activists. While some of these activists live with a sustainable ecological footprint, others do not and pollute the environment in an unsustainable manner e.g. by flying frequently. One strand of economic literature interprets this (at first glance contradictory) behavior as an attitude-behavior-gap: Having a high preference should result in a high willingness to pay and therefore in an adaption of one’s own behavior, which is not the case for these activists. Not changing one’s behavior can easily be explained by the free rider problem caused by the marginality of one’s impact though. However, this in turn raises the question, why some people live sustainable, abstain from environment polluting goods hence have a willingness to pay for the environment. We argue that both kinds of behavior can be explained by separating the willingness to pay for public goods. Since collective action is hard to sustain reciprocally and without the intervention of a (public) entity, especially for large public goods, two willingness to pay for a public good have to be considered instead – one for the private and one for the public provision of the public good. Assuming that both types of environmental activists understand, that their own contribution is marginally small, this dissertation argues – first in a theoretical model and then in an empirical application – that the willingness to pay for public goods in the private case is actually only dependent on the preference for other (mainly social) incentives – e.g. to silence one’s conscience or for reputational reasons. The unsustainable type of environmental activist just has a lower willingness to pay for social incentives compared to the sustainable typ. Only if the state interferes, the preference for the public good will be considered in the decision-making process of individuals. Consequently, it proposes a different form of measuring the willingness to pay for public goods – the so-called Quasi-Monarch. As a Quasi-Monarch, one individual can hypothetically dictate the contribution of all individuals including herself. In this scenario, no one would have an incentive to not state their “real” willingness to pay for the respective good.
Purpose
This research shows how the perception of quality differs through the table egg chain and highlights the main quality characteristics for each studied chain participant (farm, retail, consumer).
Design/methodology/approach
Observing the change in perception starts from the farm, through retail to the end consumer using the customer–supplier interaction, while looking back from the consumer to the farm, the application of the quality function deployment (QFD) was used. The study included 30 farms, 50 retail stores, 1,000 customers and 300 households.
Findings
The farm–retail comparison highlights the type of production as the dominant factor affecting egg quality for both of these participants, followed by hen diet and the type of laying hen hybrid from the farmer's point of view, while retail focuses on packaging and egg damage. Egg quality aspects from the retail–household perspective emphasize the shell appearance and the origin of the eggs, while shelf life and egg class are equally important characteristics for both participants. The application of the QFD throughout the entire egg chain emphasizes quality vs price as the most important characteristic.
Originality/value
This study could serve to food policy makers as an introduction to further research and production orientation in relation to the set of quality requirements associated with the egg supply chain.
Aromatic plants of Labiatae family are used in poultry diets because of their antimicrobial and antioxidant activity. The notion is that hens raised in organic systems face several health and environmental challenges. Hence, the objective here was to assess hens' performances and the quality of their eggs in such systems following a dietary supplementation of Salvia officinalis L. in powder form. The experiments were conducted over two successive years (1 and 2). They lasted 16 weeks each and involved 198 laying hens aged 40 weeks old randomly assigned to three groups: Con (control diet), Sal-0.5%, and Sal-1.0% (diets supplemented with Salvia officinalis L. at 0.5% or 1.0%, respectively). The malondialdehyde (MDA) levels in egg yolks in year 2 were lower in both Sal-0.5% and Sal-1.0% compared to the Con (p < 0.05). The total number of Enterobacteriaceae in eggshells were lower in Sal-1.0% compared to the Con (p < 0.05) in both years. The results suggest that a dietary supplementation of Salvia officinalis L. at 1.0% improves the antioxidant status and reduces the microbial load of eggs produced in organic systems.
Many captive Asian elephants (Elephas maximus) in Thailand participate in the tourism industry at attractions known as 'elephant camps.' There has been significant criticism of low welfare venues, where the elephants may experience injuries, poor nutrition, unnatural social environments and aversive handling. Despite increasing concern for animal welfare, the general public often have difficulty identifying the welfare issues affecting captive animals. The aim of this study was to investigate participants' willingness to support an elephant attraction and their perceived emotional value from the experience, based on the affective state of the captive elephant and their level of contact with it. Participants (n = 590) from the United States were randomly assigned to one of four vignettes (using a 2 × 2 experimental design) that described an elephant attraction, varying the affective state of the elephant (feels excellent, feels terrible) and the level of contact they could have with the elephant (low, high). A mixed methods approach was used, where participants provided answers to Likert-type questions, followed by an open-ended response. Participants showed greater willingness to support the elephant attraction and greater perceived emotional value from the experience when the elephant felt excellent, as opposed to when the elephant felt terrible. There were no significant differences between low and high contact for the measures included in this study. Qualitative responses varied greatly, with participants making many assumptions about the elephant and the attraction, revealing potential misconceptions that they had regarding the welfare of captive elephants. This research may be used to encourage a shift in tourism preferences to venues that reflect positive elephant welfare.
Concerns over laying hens' welfare have led to many different labels for eggs and changes to state regulations. Consumer attitudes toward farm-animal welfare were examined using a national survey in the context of preferences for eggs differentiated by layer management practices. Most respondents perceived caged housing and other conventional management practices as reducing hens' welfare and were willing to pay a premium for eggs produced in cage-free and other nonconventional production systems. Although participants responded to information about environmental consequences of management practices, they placed more weight on animal welfare issues than environmental issues in their egg-purchase decisions.
Despite their ethical intentions, ethically minded consumers rarely purchase ethical products (Auger and Devinney: 2007, Journal of Business Ethics
76, 361–383). This intentions–behaviour gap is important to researchers and industry, yet poorly understood (Belk et al.: 2005, Consumption, Markets and Culture
8(3), 275–289). In order to push the understanding of ethical consumption forward, we draw on what is known about the intention–behaviour
gap from the social psychology and consumer behaviour literatures and apply these insights to ethical consumerism. We bring
together three separate insights – implementation intentions (Gollwitzer: 1999, American Psychologist
54(7), 493–503), actual behavioural control (ABC) (Ajzen and Madden: 1986, Journal of Experimental Social Psychology
22, 453–474; Sheeran et al.: 2003, Journal of Social Psychology, 42, 393–410) and situational context (SC) (Belk: 1975, Journal of Consumer Research
2, 157–164) – to construct an integrated, holistic conceptual model of the intention–behaviour gap of ethically minded consumers.
This holistic conceptual model addresses significant limitations within the ethical consumerism literature, and moves the
understanding of ethical consumer behaviour forward. Further, the operationalisation of this model offers insight and strategic
direction for marketing managers attempting to bridge the intention–behaviour gap of the ethically minded consumer.
Keywordsactual behavioural control-consumer ethics-ethical consumerism-implementation intentions-intention–behaviour gap-perceived behavioural control-situational context-theory of planned behaviour-word–deed gap
Despite the long-term decline in per capita consumption, eggs remain an important staple in the British diet. Having recovered from the salmonella scare in 1989, the image of eggs has suffered in recent years due to the growing awareness of (and concern over) diet and health, and bird welfare. Reports the results of a recent consumer survey and concludes that there is a polarization of egg consumers, with free-range consumers at one extreme, largely influenced by bird welfare, and battery consumers at the other, for whom functional properties (size and shell) and value for money are the major factors determining egg purchasing behaviour.
We review the behavioural needs, priorities and preferences of laying hens for increased space, perching, nesting, foraging and dustbathing behaviour. Hens make full use of and may work to gain access to perches, however it is not yet known how perching ranks in comparison with otherbehaviours. Laying hens appearto have an instinctive need to perform pre-laying (nest-building) behaviour and have a strong preference for a discrete, enclosed nest site, for which they will work hard to gain access as oviposition approaches. Access to a nest site is a high-ranking priority for laying hens, preferred over food at this time. Foraging is a behavioural need, with peat, sand and wood shavings preferred substrates in choice experiments. There is no reduction in time spent foraging when a cost is imposed, nor when feed is freely available. Dustbathing is currently viewed as a behavioural need, as the extent to which hens value dustbathing is not known. Bird preferences for space are complex and confounded by interactions between group size and stocking density. There is some evidence that priority for space varies during the day and increases when the total space available to a group of birds is restricted, and that greater priority is given to space than to small group size. The presence of apparently purposeless behaviour, of high levels of aggression or redirected behaviours such as feather pecking and cannibalism are indicators that the housing system is not meeting the behavioural needs of the hens and hence is not satisfactory forbird welfare.
Full text also at:
https://www.tandfonline.com/eprint/ZTXGRHRJACYI3TURV3RK/full?target=10.1079/WPS200598
The assessment and improvement of animal welfare are the tasks and joint responsibility of many stakeholders involved in the agro-food chain. This paper first looks at the supply side of the chain, and presents different stakeholder views on farm animal welfare, discussing the potential for market differentiation, communication and labelling related to farm animal welfare standards. From the demand side, the paper then examines the duality that exists between citizens' attitudes and consumer behaviour in relation to animal welfare and livestock products, and identifies distinct segments of citizens and consumers. Although the importance that citizens claim to attach to animal welfare seems relatively strong, consumers' interest in information about animal welfare is only moderate compared to other product attributes, and the market shares of products with a distinct animal welfare identity remain small. The paper concludes that while there seems to be substantial consensus between supply chain stakeholders, citizens and consumers about what is relevant for achieving an acceptable level of farm animal welfare, the differentiation and satisfaction potential of increased animal welfare per se as a stand-alone product attribute seems limited to particular niche market segments. It argues that improved farm animal welfare is more likely be realised and valued by consumers when it is integrated within a broader concept of quality, such as quality assurance or sustainability schemes
The abstract for this document is available on CSA Illumina.To view the Abstract, click the Abstract button above the document title.
The results of two independent empirical studies with Flemish citizens were combined to address the problem of a short fall
of information provision about higher welfare products. The research objectives were (1) to improve our understanding of how
citizens conceptualize farm animal welfare, (2) to analyze the variety in the claimed personal relevance of animal welfare
in the food purchasing decision process, and (3) to find out people’s needs in relation to product information about animal
welfare and the extent to which the current information caters to these needs. The first study consisted of a survey conducted
in three consecutive years (2000–2002, n=521) and was complemented with more recent qualitative data from four focus group discussions (2006, n=29). Citizens’ conceptualization of farm animal welfare matched reasonably well with those in the scientific literature,
although it is clearly influenced by a lower level of practical experience and a higher weight of empathy. In general, respondents
indicated that animal welfare was an important product attribute, although it was less important than primary product attributes
such as quality, health, and safety. Moral issues, rather than a perception of higher quality, were the main influence on
preferences for higher welfare products. At present, higher standards of animal welfare are mostly guaranteed within more
general quality assurance schemes. Yet people’s decisions to not choose higher welfare products seems to be related to the
perceptual disconnection between eating animal food products and the living producing animals. Respondents generally thought
better information provision was required and the present level of provision was strongly criticized. In combination, the
findings of both studies help inform the discussion about how citizens can be informed about animal welfare and the preferred
content, source, and medium of such information. The paper also provides insights into citizens’ semantic interpretation of the concept of animal welfare (what wordings they use) and the range of relevance that animal welfare has for different groups that, in turn is useful in identifying which segments can be targeted. This can contribute to a more effective valorization of animal welfare as a product attribute.
KeywordsAnimal welfare-Conceptualization-Information-Labeling-Social attitudes
The results of an empirical study intoperceptions of the treatment of farm animals inthe Netherlands are presented. A qualitativeapproach, based on in-depth interviews withmeat livestock farmers and consumers was chosenin order to assess motivations behindperceptions and to gain insight into the waypeople deal with possible discrepancies betweentheir perceptions and their daily practices.Perceptions are analyzed with the help of aframe of reference, which consists ofvalues, norms, convictions, interests, andknowledge.
The perceptions of the interviewed farmersare quite consistent and without exceptionpositive: according to them, nothing is wrongwith animal welfare in livestock breeding. Theperceptions of the consumers we interviewed aremore divergent, but generally negative. Bothgroups show ambivalence as a result ofdiscrepancies between perceptions and behavior.Although the consumers share the impressionthat the living conditions of livestock animalsare far from optimal, most of them still buyand eat meat from the meat industry. Thefarmers believe the welfare of their animals isgood, but, as frequent defensive utterancesshow, they feel uncomfortable with expressed orunexpressed accusations of mistreating animals.The ways the respondents deal with thisambivalence were analysed by drawing ontheories of dissonance reduction and distancing devices.
Catherine and Raphaël Larrère(Larrère and Larrère, 2000) argue thatanimal rearing is a hierarchical relationshipwhose rules are to be found in the fiction of adomestic contract. We argue that the questionis not whether there should be a domesticcontract, because such a contract seems alreadyaccepted. However, since values and normsdiffer widely, not only among meat livestockfarmers and consumers, but also amongconsumers, the question remains as to whosevalues and norms should form the basis of thedomestic contract.
Free-range egg producers face continuing problems from injurious pecking (IP) which has financial consequences for farmers and poor welfare implications for birds. Beak-trimming has been practised for many years to limit the damage caused by IP, but with the UK Government giving notification that they intend to ban beak-trimming in 2016, considerable efforts have been made to devise feasible housing, range and management strategies to reduce IP. A recent research project investigated the efficacy of a range of IP-reducing management strategies, the mean costs of which came to around 5 pence per bird. Here, the results of the above project's consumer survey are presented: consumers' attitudes to free-range egg production are detailed showing that, whilst consumers had a very positive attitude towards free-range eggs, they were especially uninformed about some aspects of free-range egg production. The contingent valuation technique was used to estimate the price premium consumers would be prepared to pay to ensure that hens do not suffer from IP: this was calculated as just over 3% on top of the prevailing retail price of free-range eggs. These findings reinforce other studies that have found that whilst consumers are not generally well-informed about certain specific welfare problems faced by animals under free-range conditions, they are prepared to pay to improve animal welfare. Indeed, the study findings suggest that producers could obtain an additional price premium if they demonstrate the welfare provenance of their eggs, perhaps through marketing the eggs as coming from birds with intact beaks. This welfare provenance issue could usefully be assured to consumers by the introduction of a mandatory, single, accredited EU-wide welfare-standards labelling scheme.
The banning of traditional battery cages for laying hens in the European Community from 2012 largely reflects consumers' wishes for their food to be produced with greater respect for animal welfare. However, farmers also need to make a living and alternative housing systems can generate their own welfare and production problems. Therefore, to ensure sustainability of European agriculture, we must identify practical ways of minimizing major behavioural problems, like fear and feather pecking. Environmental enrichment may help in this respect. However, the birds ignore many so-called enrichment devices and others exert undesirable effects. Rather than relying on human preconceptions to guide the development of enrichment, we should establish the birds' preferences. Enrichment procedures must satisfy critical requirements; these include practicality, sustained interest, promotion of desirable behaviours and reduction of harmful ones. This chapter provides an overview of recent findings. Televised stimuli attracted chickens; their regular presentation reduced fear, and effective images incorporated movement, brightness, colour, and moderate complexity. Although we cannot introduce televisions into poultry houses, projecting images on to the walls might be practicable. Farmers reported that playing the radio reduced aggression, improved the birds' health and increased productivity; this strategy also enriches the farmers' environment. The presence of a familiar odorant reduced chicks' fear of novel places, birds and food; indicating that olfactory therapy might minimize certain behavioural problems. Ultraviolet light might be used as enrichment because it reduced injurious pecking in turkeys and the basal corticosterone level in chicks; this merits further investigation. Providing chickens with string promoted foraging, sustained lengthy interest, and reduced feather pecking and feather damage in the laboratory and at a commercial farm. Clearly, extraneous stimulation is important to chickens. Although environmental enrichment should not be regarded as a panacea for welfare problems, the provision of appropriate visual, auditory, olfactory and tactile enrichment is likely to improve their quality of life.
Fear is now widely regarded as an undesirable state of suffering by many members of the public, the scientific community, welfare and policy groups, as well as by a growing number of farmers. At first glance this view appears to be inconsistent with one based on biological significance, in which fear is regarded as an adaptive state with fear behaviour functioning to protect the animal from injury. Fear is often adaptive in ideal circumstances but neither we nor the animals in our care live in an ideal world. In reality, many farming systems prevent the animals from responding in an adaptive fashion to potentially threatening stimuli. In these circumstances, fear can be a powerful and potentially damaging stressor, particularly if it is intense or persistent. Both acute and chronic fear can seriously harm the welfare and performance of poultry. Certain fear responses, such as violent escape or panic, are inap-propriate in intensive systems and can cause injury, pain or even the death of birds. High levels of underlying fearfulness have also been negatively associated with plumage condition, egg production, egg shell quality, growth, and food conversion efficiency. Furthermore, because fear inhibits all other motivational systems, its elicitation is likely to impair the ability of birds to adapt to environmental change, to interact successfully with each other or with the stock person, and to utilize new resources. Therefore, high fear is clearly undesirable from the bird's and the farmer's viewpoint and its reduction is of major importance. This objective had been hampered because of the complex-ity of the concept of fear and the controversy over its measurement. However, operational definitions of fear and its components are given in this review and a number of tests which have been used to measure fear in poultry are described. Strong intra-individual correlations found between the fear scores afforded in many of these tests suggested that they are measuring the same intervening variable, presumably underlying fearfulness, rather than purely stimulus-specific responses. Two of the commonest and potentially most frightening events encountered by poultry are sudden changes in their physical or social environment and exposure to humans. Other more specific types of alarming stimuli are also listed. Hitherto, the most promising ways of reducing underlying fearfulness and increasing adaptability, at least in the laboratory, involve one or more of the following approaches: environmental enrichment, regular handling or related treatments, vitamin C supplementation of the diet or drinking water, and genetic selection. The potential benefits and short-comings of these remedial measures are discussed, with attention to their practical relevance as well as to their more fundamental implications. Other measures to mask and/or minimize the incidence of frightening events are also briefly mentioned. Our objective should be not only to achieve a balance between maintaining an emotional state that facilitates the avoidance of danger while reducing the likelihood of overreaction and the expression of inap-propriate responses, but also to provide a stimulating, safe but economically viable environment. Continued investigation should enable recommendations to be made concerning the most effective programme, in terms of environmental modification, human-animal interaction, nutritive manipulation, and selective breeding, in order to achieve the optimal levels of fear in poultry, whatever the future trends in the industry.
Free-range systems improve the welfare of laying hens. However, hen runs are often used only close to the poultry house and only a small proportion of hens are outside. Several studies indicate that structuring elements in the hen run improve the frequency and distribution of hens in the run. In our experiments we studied the characteristics of structures which have effects on the use of the free-range area. In two choice experiments we investigated whether hens prefer a greater amount of covered area or a greater diversity of structuring elements. Following this, we investigated whether hens have a better distribution in the range area when they first have to go through a corridor before reaching the grass-covered part of the run. In the final experiment in this series we tried to optimise hen runs, using the results from the previous experiments, on several farms to validate these results under practical conditions.During the choice experiment investigating the number of structures, hens showed no preference for being on the part with 5% of area covered with structures, compared to only 1%. However, more hens preferred the part containing different structures, compared to the part containing only one kind of structuring element. The hens were better distributed in the hen run when they had direct access to the run, rather than having to go through a corridor. During the on-farm experiment, more hens were outside in the optimised hen runs and were found more frequently in the part farther away from the poultry house. The hens preferred to stay close to structures providing shelter and shade. However, diverse structures attracted the hens more for foraging.A hen run should contain different structuring elements, equally distributed around the whole area.
There has been increasing policy debate about farm animal welfare over the last 5-10 years in a number of countries, particularly concerning the need for government intervention, for example by means of legislation. Assessment of farm animal welfare policy requires some evaluation of the associated relative costs and benefits involved. When considering the benefits, it is desirable not only to collate scientific evidence about the effects of policy on the welfare of animals but, also on the extent to which citizens in society want such a policy and the benefits that they perceive to result from it. This paper describes an exploratory survey which tests the application of a technique, contingent valuation, to estimate, in money terms, the benefits that people perceive to be associated with specific measures to improve farm animal welfare through eliciting their willingness to pay for welfare legislation (a case-study relating to the banning of battery cages in egg production is used). The study shows that the methodology could provide very useful information to policy makers and others interested in public perceptions and concerns about animal welfare, and public support for animal welfare policies.
In the social debate about animal welfare we can identify three different views about how animals should be raised and how their welfare should be judged: (1) the view that animals should be raised under conditions that promote good biological functioning in the sense of health, growth and reproduction, (2) the view that animals should be raised in ways that minimise suffering and promote contentment, and (3) the view that animals should be allowed to lead relatively natural lives. When attempting to assess animal welfare, different scientists select different criteria, reflecting one or more of these value-dependent views. Even when ostensibly covering all three views, scientists may differ in what they treat as inherently important versus only instrumentally important, and their selection of variables may be further influenced by a desire to use measures that are scientifically respected and can be scored objectively. Value assumptions may also enter animal welfare assessment at the farm and group level (1) when empirical data provide insufficient guidance on important issues, (2) when we need to weigh conflicting interests of different animals, and (3) when we need to weigh conflicting evidence from different variables. Although value assumptions cannot be eliminated from animal welfare assessment, they can be made more explicit as the first step in creating animal welfare assessment tools. Different value assumptions could lead to different welfare assessment tools, each claiming validity within a given set of assumptions.
1. The aim of the study was to compare the management and husbandry of free-range flocks in the UK where feather pecking was either present (case) or absent (control). 2. One hundred flocks were enrolled into a concurrent case-control study: 50 where birds had recently started feather pecking, and 50 matched control flocks where birds of the same age had not started feather pecking. 3. Information was obtained from a detailed interview with the flock manager, and by direct inspection of the flock, house and range. 4. Initial univariate analyses revealed that case flocks were more likely to comprise ISA Brown than Lohmann, were more likely to be restricted from litter areas to prevent floor eggs, and were less likely to use the outside range. 5. Cluster analysis indicated that feather pecking was not associated with any particular husbandry system. 6. The only influential risk factor significant in the multivariable conditional logistic regression analysis was use of the outdoor range. The risk of feather pecking was reduced 9-fold in flocks where more than 20% of birds used the range on sunny days (odds ratio = 0.12). Use of the range was positively associated with the presence of trees and/or hedges on the range.
(1) To evaluate the effect of climate, flock size, age and artificial cover on the use of range area, a study was conducted in 1994 to 1998, involving 5 farms with a total of 37 flocks of layers kept in commercial, free-range, organic systems. Flocks were visited regularly during the production period to record the number and distribution of hens on the range. (2) On average 9% of the flock used the range area, but with large variations both within and between flocks, and this was partly influenced by climatic factors. Range use was affected by temperature, wind, precipitation, season and age, and there was a tendency for reduced numbers of hens on the range with the time of day and increasing flock size. (3) Eight flocks (including houses and range areas) were divided into 8 paired units, and the range area of one unit in each of the flocks was provided with artificial cover. There were more hens on the range when artificial cover was present and the presence of cover attracted more hens away from the area immediately outside the hen house.
This paper presents the method and findings of a contingent valuation (CV) study that aimed to elicit United Kingdom citizens’ willingness to pay to support legislation to phase out the use of battery cages for egg production in the European Union (EU). The method takes account of various biases associated with the CV technique, including ‘warm glow’, ‘part-whole’ and sample response biases. Estimated mean willingness to pay to support the legislation is used to estimate the annual benefit of the legislation to UK citizens. This is compared with the estimated annual costs of the legislation over a 12-year period, which allows for readjustment by the UK egg industry. The analysis shows that the estimated benefits of the legislation outweigh the costs. The study demonstrates that CV is a potentially useful technique for assessing the likely benefits associated with proposed legislation. However, estimates of CV studies must be treated with caution. It is important that they are derived from carefully designed surveys and that the willingness to pay estimation method allows for various biases.
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Corresponding author Isabelle Claire Pettersson can be contacted at: i.pettersson@bristol.ac.uk For instructions on how to order reprints of this article
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Corresponding author
Isabelle Claire Pettersson can be contacted at: i.pettersson@bristol.ac.uk
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